Changed — We shall be Changed
There is a blessed time that is coming soon when we shall be changed. The Bible gives us hope that perseveres beyond the events and circumstances of this life. Most of us are impressed with who we are and what we are going through — our weaknesses, limitations, and strengths. Many of us have already experienced the joys of the salvation that has been given through our Lord Jesus Christ. For those of us who have this new life in Christ, this corruptible flesh is headed for a dramatic change. Those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior will also experience some dramatic changes.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NKJV Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
We shall be changed… We are all headed toward some dramatic changes.
I am not talking about the changes that are going to occur in your body as you mature or grow older. Some of those changes have not been spectacular. Many of us had plans and dreams that were unfulfilled. Whatever your aspirations were, something happened!
The Bible tells us we are all headed for a dramatic and great change.
I want to talk to you a moment about what the Bible shows us is going to happen to everyone who puts their trust in Jesus. God has plans for your future that are beyond the experiences of this life.
1 Corinthians 15:53 NKJV For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Corruptible means perishing or dying.
Since the introduction of sin into the world, mankind has been subjected to death. Some people assume that the next great change is death. The truth is some of us are going to die before the Lord comes. The Bible tells us, when we die our spirit goes to be with the Lord. When the text says, “We shall be changed,” it is not just talking about death. If the only hope we have is for pleasure in life and ultimately death, Solomon said, “take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”
God has instructed us to have hope in Christ for a better day, for something more.
“This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
What does that mean?
1 Corinthians 15:54 NKJV So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
In Revelation 6, we are told of a place under the altar near the throne of God, where the soul of the redeemed by the blood of Christ will go. That is a place that is called paradise or the presence of God. All of those who die in Christ will go there to be with God. Many of us have loved ones who have gone on to be with the Lord. They are there in the presence of God awaiting the day the Lord has promised. It gives us great comfort to know that their soul is living on in the presence of God. As wonderful as it will be to be absent from this body and be with the Lord, that is not what this is talking about.
We have hope that this corruptible body will put on incorruption, and this mortal body will put on immortality.
This is talking about a glorious day when death will be swallowed up in victory and life.
God has plans for your eternal soul and body.
2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands.
There is some good news for all of us in this verse. When we are resurrected, we will have an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. I don’t want to go to heaven and live eternally in this body. This body has experienced suffering, sickness, weakness, and pain. This body is corruptible and will die, but God has prepared a new body for us.
2 Corinthians 5:2 NLT We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.
Do any of you grow weary and tired in your present body?
Sometimes we hurt and groan. Sometimes we suffer and are sick. One day we will die and our spirit or soul will go to be with the Lord. God is already prepared to make a great change in you.
2 Corinthians 5:3 NLT For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.
We shall be changed. Think about that.
One of these weary days, the trumpet of God is going to sound and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:52 NKJV in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
There is much speculation about our heavenly or eternal body.
Jesus’ resurrection gives a clear example of what we shall be.
After His death, Jesus came out of the grave. Mortality was swallowed up by life and death had been conquered. The change was dramatic. His body was rather glorious. Jesus gave evidence of what we should anticipate to happen with us. The disciples were gathered together after His resurrection and were discussing how the Lord had appeared to Simon and to the two on the road to Emmaus. Suddenly, Jesus stood in the midst of them, and said, “Peace to you.” They were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.
Luke 24:38-41 NLT “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet. Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.
We shall be changed….
The disciples were so amazed they could not believe their eyes.
They had witnessed His suffering and death. They had seen Jesus wounded, bruised and crucified. They had seen the place where He had been buried. Now after His resurrection, Jesus had a new body.
Jesus’ resurrected body gives us some amazing answers.
- Death could not hold Him.
- He had a literal, tangible body of flesh and bones.
- His body looked the same, but it had been changed.
- He was able to communicate with them in the same manner He had before His death.
- He showed them His hands and feet.
- He ate some broiled fish and honeycomb.
- They were not having hallucinations.
- His body was not an earthly body, but a heavenly body.
Jesus’ resurrection is significant and of utmost importance to all of us and our Christian faith.
If Christ is risen, we have hope and faith that we shall also be changed. If Christ is not risen, then all your faith is vain or useless, and you are still guilty of your sins, (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17).
Here is the message of the Good News of the Gospel. Jesus Christ has arisen and death has been conquered.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 NKJV For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
We will have a new body and we will have a new life.
Pay attention to the words “WITH THE LORD.”
This is our blessed hope that we will be raised with Christ with a body like His glorious body.
We shall be changed…
Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
When that glorious and wonderful day comes, we shall be changed.
Revelation 5:9-10 shows us the host of the redeemed around the throne of God.
Revelation 5:9 NKJV And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”
Think about this.
One of these days the trumpet of God will sound. When that happens, Jesus is going to step out of glory and call all of the redeemed of the Lord home. Those believers who have died will be raised and will be given a new body. We who are alive shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. All of a sudden we will be with the Lord.
